When you read through the prophets — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and others — one theme keeps showing up again and again: God compares His people to an adulterous wife or a prostitute.
At first, that might sound harsh. Why would God use such strong language? The answer is simple but profound: God’s people are His bride. In the New Testament, the church is called the Bride of Christ, and Jesus is the Bridegroom. So when God’s people turn to idols, sin, or compromise, it is spiritual adultery. It’s not just breaking a rule — it’s breaking a relationship.
Think about it like marriage. If a husband gives his heart, his faithfulness, and his provision to his wife, but she runs to other men, that’s betrayal. In the same way, when the church turns to the world for approval, identity, or satisfaction, it’s like saying, “God, You aren’t enough. I need someone else.”
The State of the Church Today
Sadly, when we look at much of the church today, we see this same picture that God was painting through the prophets. Many churches are quick to accept everything but God. Conviction is unpopular. Holiness is uncomfortable. Being different is seen as judgmental.
Instead of standing firm on God’s Word, too many are chasing acceptance from the world.
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Some churches openly affirm lifestyles the Bible clearly calls sin.
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Some pastors fall into scandals, sleeping with members of their congregation or even having multiple wives.
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Others join organizations, fraternities, and systems that glorify everything but God.
There’s no reverence. No fear of the Lord. No holy separation. The focus is on platforms over purity, virality over victory, applause over repentance.
And because of that, pulpits are watered down. The gospel is edited to avoid offense. Preachers stop preaching truth because they’d rather fill seats than see souls saved.
But in reality, when the church seeks “other lovers” — whether it’s popularity, money, power, or cultural approval — it breaks the heart of the One who already gave everything for her.
Why Lust and Adultery Matter So Much
This is also why sexual immorality is such a serious issue in Christianity. Lust pulls our eyes away from God. It plants curiosity about something else — about “other lovers.” It shifts our attention, dreams, and desires onto what is forbidden, pulling us further from the only One who can truly satisfy.
That’s why Scripture says: “Flee from lust.” To flee is to run back into the arms of the One who can cleanse our hearts and refocus our eyes.
What Needs to Change
The message of the prophets wasn’t just about judgment — it was a call to return. And that’s what the church needs today.
We don’t need more trendiness.
We don’t need more watered-down sermons.
We don’t need more leaders chasing platforms.
We need conviction. We need men and women who will stand boldly for truth, even if it means being unpopular, “weird,” or rejected by the culture. We need a church that is faithful to her Husband, not running after the world.
The world can only lead to death. Christ alone gives life.
And until we return to Him — fully, faithfully, fearlessly — we’ll continue to see the church lose its power and its witness.
The prophets cried out to Israel to repent because they were God’s people. Today, that same call is echoing:
Church, come back to your first love. Come back to Jesus. He is enough